Is Technology Making Our Lives Less Gratifying? (with Ian Bogost)

Modern technology has generally made our lives faster, easier, and more convenient. But in swapping out stick shifts and paper menus for automatic transmissions and QR codes, have we accidentally optimized away many of the rich sensory experiences that make living so pleasurable?

Journalist, academic and award-winning video-game designer Ian Bogost joins host Jess Love to discuss insights from his book The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life. He makes the case that we’re losing some of the everyday pleasures of interacting with the world. But if technology has disconnected us from sensory gratification, can it also be part of the solution?

Life, Automated is a production of the Ryan Institute on Complexity, at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. The host is Jess Love, senior director. Distributed by KQED.

Senior Producer: Jesse Dukes

Producer and Sound Design: Tom Dixon

Music: Steven Jackson

Recording Help: George Christensen, Will Feeney

Promotion: Ananya Mallapragada, Lauren Ko

Editorial Assistance: Rob Mitchum, Laura Pavin

We used field audio recorded by by⁠ Ambient-X⁠.